ICUnurserachel

Alcohol is not reccomended at all for bariatric surgery patients. Do not drink beer. Beer has carbonation and will cause bloating and swelling. Alcohol in general increases gastric acid secretions and increases esophageal irriation. Number one you just had surgery, you are NOT healed. Think! Number 2 this provides empty calories and no nutitional value. I wouldn't trust any nutrionist that said beer was ok for lap band patients 2 weeks post op. I would refer you to your doctors post op instructions which clearly state what is allowed and not allowed in recovery period. This is a choice you made and you have to give up some things. This how life with the band is. I waited 6mos until I had a drink of wine but that is just me. Wait until your body is recovered and post op swelling is gone before you decide to do things like this , and also discuss these things with your doctor not the nutritionist. I wonder sometimes if people actually read pre op teaching and actually research things before they do them sometimes. Sorry to be blunt but seriously. This isn't a game it is your health and you don't want to take two steps back. I am not trying to be nasty but I have seen several posts of yours that lead me to believe you haven't quite understood the purpose of the diet progression and the learning process that comes with the band. Did your doctor not give you pre op teaching and do's and dont's post op? I wish you luck and hope for your success with the lapband.

The symptoms you had were the ones I had when I found out my band had slipped and caused a hiatal hernia. I had to have a very painful and long band revision and hiatal hernia repair as well as tons of scar tissue removed. My slippage was caused by a fill that was too tight that caused the band to slip. I had horrible reflux that woke me up at night. These were my only symptoms and I could still eat so I though nothing of it until it got to the point I was waking up choking on it. I went in and boom there is was on the xray. What followed was weeks of misery and pain. So don't take it lightly as I don't anymore.

As a woman at different times of the month I had different degress of when feeling full. All you can do is learn and move on. There is a learning process with the band and you have to learn what works for you. Don't beat yourself up.

I really wish for all that is holy that people would stop getting lapbands in Mexico. Number one they are a third world country. Do you really want medical care there! I am a registered nurse and have seen the screw up from these doctors and patients. Don't do it! They don't provide the correct or if any pre op teaching so post operatively people are doing things that screw things up. Your health is worth a lot more than saving some money. Yes it is cheaper but have you ever thought why? Mexican doctors and I use the term doctors loosely do not receive proper medical training. This isn't the place to go to get a lapband. I see it at work everyday and as a lapband patient I just nod my head in disbelief.

You will feel hungry your band doesn't provide any restriction yet. Until you starting getting fills you will feel hungry for anything.

Some of it is gas from the C02 they use to inflate your abdomen some of it is the postion during the surgery. It took 2 weeks for all that pain to subside. The pain from my back, shoulder and neck were worse than the actual surgical pain. Heat, pain meds and walking will help.

Thank you! Too many think the band is supposed to lose the weight for them. It is a tool. You have to make healthier choices and develop better eating habits. The band is a lifelong committment. I recently had to have my band revised as well as have tons of scar tissure removed and have a hiatal hernia repair due to a fill that became too tight and caused the band to slip. So be careful with the fills and any doctor that is has my vote.

When you have your band implanted there is no fluid in the band so no restriction. The only thing you will feel is the swelling from surgery. You will be able to eat a hefty portion until you find your green zone once you start getting fills. Make sure you are getting enough protein in and that will help curb your hunger. The band is a tool to help you not do it for you.

As a nurse I can tell you yogurt and pudding are considered a full liquid. My doctor has them listed as full liquids as well. The yogurt cannot have any particles of fruit in it, so I found the toddler/baby yogurts to work. I also got creative with protein shakes that I still drink. My favorite one was 1/2 small banana, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 cup skim milk and scoop protein. sweeten to taste and blend with mixer until all liquified.

I am actually pretty open with people about having the band as I have found it saves a lot of time. I don't feel I need to hide or am ashamed I had this done. People are more understanding than you think and being upfront about your diet and why you eat the way you do is easier in the end.

My only symptom of band slippage was reflux. It got worse over time. I just recently had a revisions and had to go throug 4hrs of surgery to fix the mess the slippage had caused which included a hiatal hernia, severe scarring. So go to the doc and make them do an upper gi.

And mine was not caused by overeating it was caused by a fill done too tight that caused my band to slip. So be careful with the fills.

If you have espohageal herniation you will have reflux, bad reflux.

you aren't getting enough protein if you are hungry. you need to be getting 80gm or more a day. Stick with the post op diet or you will end up with slippage or espophageal herniation.

Dr. Enochs in Cary did mine. I would highly reccomend him. He is the one that has set the standards in the Triangle area. So do your research. He did mine 2 1/2 years ago.

BTW I have BCBS of NC and they approved my surgery in 2 days.

I had reflux and could eat more. Went in to see my doc and my band had slipped. They took all the fluid out and out me on steriods and prilosec. The pain and discomfort I have gone through have been horrible. This past Weds July 11th I went in for a lap band revisios. What was supposed to take 1 1/2 hours took 4 hrs and a 2 day stay in the hospital. I had to have a nissen done to repair the hiatal hernia the slipped band had caused, my band had to be taken out and replaced , tons of scar tissue had to be removed from my stomach. All this caused by a slipped band. They did an embrication of the stomach to prevent slippage. You can't leave it in the way it is. It either has to come out or be repaired. My doctor discussed my options prior. I have had my band 2 1/2 years and lost 90lbs so it worked for me. We had no idea the mess that was inside me until surgery. I am miserable and definately could not go through this again. I will be on liquids for at least 4 weeks then we go from there.

Like marfar about 2 months ago noticed reflux, it got worse and noticed I could gradually start to eat more. I was due for my yearly visit so waited until then. When I got there I did the xray and boy had my band slipped. They had to remove all the fluid and had to do 2 weeks of steriods and prilosec. The next month was hell. The pain, the reflux and bloating. This past Wednesday July 11th I went in for a lap band revision. The surgery took 4 hrs because of all the damage the slipped band had done. I had to have a nissen done to repair a hiatal hernia. the band had to be taken out and replaced, plus tons of scar tissue had to be removed from my stomach. I was released from the hospital today and am miserable. I don't know that I could go through this again. So my surgeon also did a embrication of the stomach to help prevent slippage again. I have had my band 2 1/2 yrs and lost 90lbs. I have to be on liquids for 4 weeks and we go from there.

If you cannot keep food down then you are too tight. When you are too tight unhealthy fatty foods go down better becaUse they are usually slippery and mushy If you cannot eat 4oz of Protein at a meal then the band IS too tight. Keep a journal of your food intake and that will help with weight loss. If you have a phone that has apps on it try the spark people app. Also, are you exercising? YOUR BAND IS TOO TIGHT AND THAT IS THAT! By keeping the band too tight more damage can be caused to your stomach, esophagus and band.

I am 10 months post op. I have had no complications and good success so far. I have noticed lately something. When I drink liquids I notice a burning sensation in my throat and esophagus only. I don't have any reflux or other burning problems. I was wondered if others had experienced this?

I get about 1200 a day. I found when I starting running more and started more weight toning I just didn't have any energy on less than 1200/day. I also developed some nutritional deficiencies even on mega doses of multivitamins. I also found I was hungry allot more, real hunger not emotional hunger. I use the sparkpeople app on my ipod and it also syncs online at www.sparkpeople.com. It keeps a food diary and records my calories burned.:wink2:

I recently had my 6 month anniversary and I am 47lbs down. I started at a size 26 and now am a size 18 which is actually about too big. It is very surreal to me how far I have come. I have definitely worked hard at it. I look forward to 47 more pounds to be lost in the next year. I have had my ups and downs but am happy I did this. I am off all meds now and only take multivitamins and allergy meds. It feels good to be healthy again!

I have a question for women that are still menstruating. Do you find it harder to eat or have more issues getting food down during your period? I thought I read somewhere that the fluid retention and bloating can cause some issues. :drool:

The past few weeks I haven't lost lbs but have lost inches. Why is it I fixate on the number and not my loss of inches. My doc told me not to weigh myself but of course I did and am now mad. I am down 5 sizes but seem to still be focused on the weight. How do some of you not let the number rule your life?

My doctor does them in his office and has a fluro machine to do fills. A doctor's office can have the fluro machines and it doesn't have to be done in a hospital to have these fluro/xray machines.